History
History Introduction X: The Indie Years X Japan has had a long life, with several forms and line ups. It all began with childhood friends Yoshiki and Toshi. From a early age, Yoshiki began to play classical piano. His mother began to teach him at the age of 4, as she was a piano teacher. His father would regularly give him money to go down to the local record store and purchase classical recordings from the likes of Mozart and Beethoven. He has mentioned several times, classical music is his first love and one that he continues to perform and compose today. However, at the age of 10, Yoshiki's father passed away due to suicide. With an intense rage building up inside of him, Yoshiki found an outlet for that anger with the drums. Knowing each other since kindergarten, Yoshiki and Toshi both decided to form a band. As they were still in high school, most of their performances and practices were centered around school shows and local contests. Originally calling themselves NOISE, they dedicated themselves to covering popular American rock bands such as Deep Purple and Iron Maiden. NOISE's orignal line up included Yoshiki on drums and, interestingly enough, Toshi on guitar. Toshi had always wanted to play guitar, but it turned out that his voice was his true gift. When needing a vocalist, Yoshiki suggested each member of the band sung, the best ending up being Toshi. It was during high school that the band also changed their name to X, originally a temporary name they chose when needed. After high school in 1984, both Yoshiki and Toshi forgoed further formal education, (Yoshiki was to attend a classical music school and Toshi was to study in medical school), and moved to Tokyo to further persue their musical careers. Less than a year later, and with the help of the friends they performed with in high school, X released their first single on DADA Records, I'LL KILL YOU. With Toshi on vocals, Yoshiki on drums, Terry and Tomoyuki on guitars and Atsushi on bass, the 2 track single sold out its 1,000 copy run completely, surprisng for a newcomer on the music scene. During 1985, X were invited to contribute, along with 11 other bands to contribute a track for the compilation album, HEAVY METAL FORCE 3. Amongst the other bands were a group called Saber Tiger, and their guitarist hide. This is possibly the first time that X and hide, later becoming X's guitarist, met. In the same year, a guitarist called Taiji played with the band for a short time before moving on due to "musical differences". With a bad reputation that the band got due to its agressive nature whilst performing through 1985 to 1986, X had a hard time being taken on by a music label. It was this that caused Yoshiki, with financial help from his mother, to create his own label, Extasy records, with which he could release X's music without the need to change the bands style. Although they had many member changes during these years, both Yoshiki and Toshi managed to release X's second single in 1986, on Extasy Records, "Orgasm ". To the surpise of the band, the 1,500 run sold out almost instantly, further giving creedence to the band's ability. During this time, X coudn't maintain a solid line up. Hikaru, who played bass on the single orgasm alongside Toshi, Yoshiki and Jun, left the band shortly after the single was released, leaving just the 3 members. During this period, Yoshiki was asked to help out as drummer of the band Judy. It was here Yoshiki first met Pata. Impressed by Yoshiki's drumming ability, Pata offered him a position in the band, which Yoshiki turned down. In the autumn of 1986, Yoshiki bumped in Taiji again and, after discussion, came to the conclusion that Taiji belonged back in the band X. With the two of them and Toshi as the only permanent members of X, the band continued to perform live shows, where they again came in contact with hide. It was during one of these shows, alongside Saber Tiger, that hide joined the band on stage during an encore, to perform with them. In 1987, Yoshiki called Pata after finding out his band, Judy, had disbanded. He asked if he would be availble to record with them, two tracks for another compliation album. Pata agreed to one weeks worth of studio time, and during the year also helped out with live shows. Shortly after, Yoshiki found out that hide had decided to give up on music after Saber Tiger disbanded. Yoshiki offered hide a part in the band and he agreed. A short while after, Pata also agreed to become a permanent member, leading to the first permanent line up for X. X: 1989 - 1992 X started 1989 with their Blue Blood Tour, which began on March 13. Two of the concerts, including the March 16 show in the Shibuya Public Hall, were sold out before the concerts started. The March 16 show was later released by X as the Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Suzen Gig. The album associated with the tour name, Blue Blood, was released about a month after these concerts, on April 21 1989, and reached a position of 6 on the Oricon charts, with Kurenai reaching 5. September of the same year brought the Rose & Blood Tour, which was temporarily suspended after Yoshiki collapsed after the November 22 concert. Owing to the success of the album, X earned the "Grand Prix New Artist of the Year" during the 4th Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1990. Late 1990 seen the band fly to Los Angeles in order to record their third album, Jealousy. When the band arrived back in Japan, estimates put at least 500 policemen of the Japanese Special Forces in order to control the crowd on June 7, 1991, as Toshi and Yoshiki arrived. Jealousy was released on July 1 of the same year and sold over 600,000 copies and being certified as "million" by RIAJ. August of the same year seen X perform at the largest indoor concert venue, Tokyo Dome. Most of their performances in this venue would be released on CDs. The first show in Tokyo Dome was part of the Violence in Jealousy Tour, ending towards the end of the year. Yoshiki collapsed again during the tour at the October 24 show at the Yokohama Arena gig. X also performed at NHK Hall and was backed with an orchestra, with this performance being aptly titled "X with Orchestra". X set three tour dates for early 1992, on January 5, 6 and 7. This concert was titled Tokyo Dome 3 days live ~On the Verge of Destruction~, and was the last live show that Taiji would play in. Taiji left X on January 31, officially because of musical differences however Taiji claims that Yoshiki had asked him to leave due to an income gap between himself and the other band members. August 24 of the same year seen X announce their new bassist, Heath, at the Rockefeller Center in New York. The band left the record label Sony and signed with Atlantic Records around the same time, and changed their name from X to X Japan in order to distinguish their band from the American punk group X. Despite signing with the American label, they did not release an album in America. Heath was first seen live on the October 1992 Extasy Summit at Osaka-jo Hall. X JAPAN: 1993 - 1997 X Japan spent the beginning of 1992 and most of 1993 recording Art of Life, a 29 minute song and full album which was later released on August 28, 1993, by Atlantic records. The band only performed twice during 1993 owing to each band member starting their own solo careers. The two concerts were the X Japan Returns concerts, held on December 30 and 31, and would also mark a tradition of two New Years Eve concerts which would last until 1997 when X Japan disbanded. The next year held only four concerts, two of which being performed on the last two days of The Great Music Experience, and the last two on December 30 and 31 being titled Aoi Yoru (青い夜, Blue Night) and Shiroi Yoru (白い夜, White Night). 1995 was similar to the two previous years. November 19 seen the band begin to tour for their next album, Dahlia, with the tour being called Dahlie Tour 1995-1996. The band also dropped most of their Visual Kei appearance, using more "casual" styled clothing for concerts. Dahlia was released on November 4, 1996, and seen little new material as some of the songs in Dahlia had been released as singles as early as a few months after Art of Life was released. The Dahlia Tour 1995-1996 was scheduled to end on March 31 196 however was instead finished on March 13 when Yoshiki herniated cervical vertebrae after the show on that day. At 1pm on September 22, 1997, Yoshiki, hide, Pata and Heath made the announcement that the band would be disbanding at the end of 1997 during a press conference. Toshi had made his decision to leave the band in April 1996 however his decision was not publicly disclosed. The last concert that X Japan performed was titled The Last Live ~Last Night~. This concert would also end the tradition of a concert on New Years Eve, having done so for five consecutive years since 1992. Their true last performance occured after The Last Live on the same day, as they played Forever Love during the Kōhaku Uta Gassen. X JAPAN: 2007 - XXXX